Kishtwar: The rescue and relief in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, and especially in Chisoti village, continued on the third day on Saturday due to the horrifying cloudburst to caused massive flash floods. The calamity has already taken at least 60 lives, over 100 people are injured, and there are a lot of people who are still missing.
Authorities are working overtime with almost a dozen earthmovers brought in by the civil administration, backed by specialised equipment and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) dog squads. Forty-six bodies have been identified so far and presented to families after formalities. Still, approximately 75 people have gone missing. Locals and people who witnessed the scene dread that the true figure is likely to be much higher, as hundreds could have been carried away by the mass of water and entombed by debris, boulders, and logs.
The tragedy hit Chisoti, an omega motorable village on the way to the Machail Mata temple, at around 12.25 pm on Aug 14. Some of the dead include two Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) employees and a Special Police Officer (SPO) of the local police.
The flash floods destroyed a makeshift market, a community kitchen to have pilgrims, and a security outpost. Also, 16 residential houses, a number of government buildings, three temples, four water mills, a bridge that was 30 meters long, and more than a dozen vehicles were destroyed.
On Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah toured the affected village, which is ravaged by flood. Indian Army staff briefed him on the situation, and he even tried on a virtual reality headset to get an understanding of the level of destruction. In the meantime, the Indian Air Force has maintained two Mi-17 helicopters and an Advanced Light Helicopter in readiness at Jammu and Udhampur to provide rescue and relief.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, with J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat, also toured Chisoti late Friday to check the progress being made and keep the process coordinated.
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